


And there was One

by CathInTheBox



Series: Altered Human Clones AU [1]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Altered Human Clones AU, Galra Hunk (Voltron), Galra Keith (Voltron), Galra Lance (Voltron), Galra Pidge (Voltron), Galra Shiro (Voltron), I have so many ideas for this AU, My First Work in This Fandom, Other, is it even a thing?, just hoping it has a good response, well they're more like altered clone humans with galra dna
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-07-09
Updated: 2017-11-05
Packaged: 2018-11-30 01:58:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,125
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11453604
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CathInTheBox/pseuds/CathInTheBox
Summary: One remembers the expressions that adorned the others face, it was a mix of many things; confusion, surprised, anger, but above all, sadness. It wasn’t till much time had passed when he later was presented and forced to take care of Two and Three that he could understand why there had been sadness on his Original’s face.





	1. The Escape

Number One hates that he can somehow feel things, have emotions, bust most of all, feel joy, because he knows that feeling joy in a place where Galra were was not wise. And no matter how much he tries to revert to those time when he felt nothing, he can't, and he blames the Champion for giving him little specks of emotions, if at all, he was thinking that the punishment was not for the human, but for him.

He remembers the first time he met his Original, he had been used to make the human weaker, to be used as an example of ‘what if’ if the Champion ever went against them. One remembers the expressions that adorned the others face, it was a mix of many things; confusion, surprised, anger, but above all, sadness. It wasn’t till much time had passed when he later was presented and forced to take care of Two and Three that he could understand why there had been sadness on his Original’s face.   

One can't help but feel bad for the other two that are now under his care, he wasn't really made to look for others but at the same time, he couldn’t help but be glad, the position as champion had been...hard after his Original escaped, despite being an almost exact copy of him (Only having a part of his DNA altered to have more of a Galra instinct, giving him his gold eyes, sharp nails, senses more sharp and animalistic) he was more known as a failure than not, even when he won most of the time, he simply wasn't as graceful or angered fueled like the Champion.

So when Two and Three came, it had been a relief, something he never thought he could feel, at seen this two been thrusted to him with just a ‘Watch them’ and nothing else, before leaving the three of them alone inside the cell he had always been. It was weird for him to interact with someone, more so when they only took him out of his cell to just fight before throwing him again after healing him, but this two individuals were something he would gladly have with him, even if from time to time they were separated.

Two was...a curious creature. He looked more Galra than him , a pair of fluffy ears at the sides and top of his mess of purple-blackish hair, twitching at every little sound that was made all around them, making him completely tense and flinch, ending in him residing in the corner of the cell. Of course that didn’t meant that he was silent, oh no, Two was a bit of a chatty creature, talking, mostly to try and not hear other sounds. It was a bit entertaining to see him speak, shut up for a few minutes and then come to him and tell him what he had heard on the halls from one of the Galra soldiers that were passing by or guarding, certainly Two had really good hearing, even more than himself.

On the other hand, Three was quiet. So much that sometimes Two would jump on his spot and growl a bit at Three when he decided to whisper something before falling silent again, looking out of the cell, as if there was something interesting outside. One tried to understand what was making the youngest of the three look out of the cell, even asking him, but only getting silence in return.

 **“Something about flying and how the outside looks”** Two had answered one day in place of Three, the lanky and dark skinned altered human looking for a few seconds at the pale one of the three before returning to his position, which was to stare out of the cell once more.

After that Two was always answering or repeating what Three would said when either asked or just some random things that usually made no sense to neither of them. 

Three was usually the most tired of them. He was the one the Druids seemed to take out more of the cell to do whatever it was that they did to him,he would never say anything after returning from those visits; he would actually end up being a trembling mess and in those rare moment he would go close to either Two or One and nuzzle their sides before he went limp and slept next to them, huffing or whimpering during the rest of the time he was sleeping. It was with that, the three of them would huddle and cuddle together, there was no need for words or anything, it was just something one day happened and it kept going when something was wrong with one of them.

One would always get cuddles from the other two when he returned half conscious from a fight, and Two would get them when he returned with a haunted expression and would stop talking completely.

 

They got used to being just the three of them for a while until suddenly they had been moved from their cell to be put in another one, a bit more bigger than the last one. At first they had been confused and perhaps a bit scared until they got to meet the ones that made the change happen.

Four and Five were...interesting. Four was as tall as One and Three, a between them even, though he seemed more muscular than Three, always in a grumpy mood but social despite it all, he would always doubt One’s ‘authority’ ,since it was obvious that the older altered human was in charge of them all now.

 **“You can do whatever you want”** was what One would always say, trying to get them to understand that despite the position he got, he was just like them.

An experiment.

Five was the shortest out of them, almost as quiet as Three, unless you said something that would spike their curiosity and then would it be a chatter between the youngest, to a point that Three would stop looking outside to look at them with a bit of curiosity, walking and sitting right next to Five, so he could be part of whatever they had started doing.

It was silly really, but One was glad that Two and Three would have others beside each other. He wasn't really sure how much time he had left and at that point didn’t want to think about it.

Is not like he had much in this life, he simply just wanted to enjoy a bit more the company of the other four, to fill more...human than a tool.

 

It was during a sudden attack on the ship they were that there was a chance for the five of them to escape, Three had just been return to them by one of the soldiers when a big explosion made him trip, giving enough time for One to kill the guard and get a hold of the gun that had fallen on the floor, giving it to Four.

They had been talking about it, about escaping from there. Where? They weren't sure, but anywhere else was better than a place where they wouldn't be experimented anymore or forced to do things that they didn’t want too or die without having a say in it.

_**“It’s either die or get out of here”** Four grumbled. **“There’s no way we’ll get out alive from this place! So it’s better to just give up already”**_

_**“There is probably nothing outside for us anyway...is there even a reason to be here? Are we even useful?”** Two rubbed at his ears, huffing in annoyance. _

_**“I don't want to die yet, but I agree with them”** Five blinked and shrugged. **“Let’s just keep quiet, it’s not like anyone knows of us”**_

_What each one of them was saying had been something that slowly got One to lose hope, making him sigh and frown, it had only been an idea, one that he was considering more in at least trying to do._

_**“Voltron…”** Three whispered from right next to Four, yawning and rubbing at his yellow eyes. **“ Stars…sky...blue...warmth”** the other four stared at the lankier one and looked at each other. **“There is….hope...even for us”**_

And that was the reason they were using this surprise attack from the Galra Empire’s enemies to escape, along the way hiding, shooting or knocking out whoever would so much as turn their way. Five had said that there was a escape pod that would at least ten of them, so it was more than enough space for all of them.

While Five wrote something in the pod, One, Two and Four were guarding it, making use of Two’s hearing and ready to shoot at whoever so much as came close to them, which would be soon, seeing as the alarms suddenly went off and made alert of the rest of the galra that prisoners were escaping.

 **“I can't hear anymore!”** Covering his ears, it was clear that Two was out of commission and went inside the pod along with Three, who had been looking at nowhere in particular once more, but it seemed as if he was following something move, by the way he would look around.

 **“Done!! I set the coordinates to a planet not far away from here!”** Five , for the first time had a smirk in their face, seeming excited to have done something they never thought would do, calling the other two to get inside. Just as they were doing that, the doors had slide open and soldiers came rushing in, but the pod was already moving and being thrown to space.

It took Five a lot but they managed to control the pod and maneuver it for a few ticks, indeed whatever the enemies were doing was putting a toll at the Empire and it was the best distraction for them to escape, a small wormhole opening and sucking them in.

Neither of them had ever felt the suck sensation of a wormhole, which of course ended with everyone feeling dizzy and having a headache, except for Four who seemed to not have taken it well, ending with him using one of the helmets that One had grabbed during their escape and using it as a bucket.

 **“We don't...speak of this _ever_ ”** he growled before spitting inside it and using the vacuum to throw it out in space, no way were they going to last with how it smelled for long.

The rest nodded in agreement and fell silent. At least for a few ticks.

 **“One?”** Three’s call got the attention of the rest of them, they hadn't heard of their ‘leader’ after getting out of that wormhole, and when they looked at his direction, they all seemed to tense, Four raising the gun once more at his direction.

With the call, it was enough to make him slowly open his eyes , had he fallen asleep? He hadn't felt tired. He just suddenly closed his eyes during the hole, thinking how now that he wasn't in a Galra ship anymore , he wouldn't be able to see his Original, to ask him questions about this ‘human’ side of him, to ask if the things he or his companions did were normal or if they simply were not meant to exist at all.

 _“ **Mistakes not worth enough”** _ as that female Druid had said once.

Trying to get up, he finally notice that he was grabbing at something and at the same time that was grabbing at him by his galra prosthetic, making him turn his head fast at that, feeling the air escape his lungs.

Despite how hard it was for him to breath, he was able to take a lungful of air before being able to let at least one word out of his mouth.

 

**“Champion…?”**


	2. The Rescue

He's certain that no matter how much he wants to or better yet, try to understand the situation he is now, it still confuses him (and makes him really angry) as to why Zarkon would do this kind of stuff. He could understand as much the existence of the oldest of the group he was with now, after all Shiro had met his clone during his time as Champion, they had tried to use the other one as some kind of measure so as to not do anything stupid while in their hands. But then he escaped and up till this point he had forgotten about his clone.

Well, not entirely, he could see the other one in his nightmares, but it was different somehow, this person right here, sure, had the same factions that would scare him in thinking he was turning into a monster, but One? Is what the others had called the older clone, was not the same as in his dreams or as he remembers him from those times in the cell they had ended up sharing.

He seemed more soft, still stiff and a bit aggressive in some sense, but overall protective of his companions, making sure they were ok.

He was acting more human.

Was that how he acted with his team?

 **“Hello”** a sudden whisper at his side made him jump a bit before turning to see Lance’s look-a-like (sure they were clones, it was just weird for him still to consider them as such even if it was true, despite the galra features) staring at him intently. Was what the others had called him? Three? He should really try and help them with names, being called as numbers just felt _wrong_ in so many levels.

“Hey, what's going on? Do you need something?” He couldn't help it, it was as if looking at a sad Lance, so he ended up patting the other’s shoulder in a reassuring way, smile as patient as ever, hoping that whatever the other wanted was nothing bad. That seemed to make the lanky clone blink and look him in the eyes before blinking once more.

 **“You were...really quiet for...a few moments”** it was still a bit unnerving how someone that looked and sounded the same as his exuberant and charming teammate could be this quiet, almost shy to speak up, as if he had been forced or... _trained_ to stay that way.

It just made Shiro’s blood boil, his thought from before coming back to him. Why had the Galran made clones of his team? What purpose did they had? Where they going to use them against them in the future? By the way the four of them, it didn't seem that likely, except for Two and perhaps Four, they seemed more capable in attacking and defending their own if the way he had been manhandled back at the escape pod when he suddenly woke at the same time his clone did was of any indication.

It had been a mess of limbs, almost shooting and shouting, lots of that from at least four of them (he was certain after a few hours had passed that he had never ever once heard Three scream)

“I’m fine, just thinking about a way to get out of this planet” it wasn’t entirely true, but he did needed to return to his teammates, see what was going on, what had happened to Zarkon after the fight, had they defeated him? Was everyone ok? Hurt? The clone, tilted his head to the side at that and nodded a bit before looking back at where the pod had been left, Five and Four doing what Shiro had suggested about trying to get a way to get a signal somehow to the others.

**“Are they...good?”**

“Hmm?” Looking back at Three, Shiro noticed how the thin altered human was looking up at the sky, as if he were looking at something more interesting. Thought, it had been quite nice to see how excited they got once they made sure the planet they had landed was safe to breath in, they had never seen trees or water or anything beside what had been shown to them by the Galran.

**“Your...people”**

“...My teammates?”a nod and he smiled a bit “Yeah, they are great, that’s why I want to return to them as soon as possible” Three nodded again and rubbed one of his eyes before closing them, humming softly.

 **“They miss you...they are...scared, worried?...”** he moved one of his hands, unsure if that was the word he wanted to use to describe what he was feeling. The Black Paladin on the other hand blinked and his wide eyes turned to look at the one making him company, not sure how to take what the other one was saying.

“How...How do you know that? Do you have like visions or something?” Shiro had meant it as a joke, but the way the lankier clone seemed to consider it made him only stare at him, waiting now for his answer.

 **“It is complicated to explain...the Druids”** there was a shiver from the clone, moving a hand to one of his eyes, as if remembering something he didn't want to but needed to say it, so Shiro waited for him, hand still on his shoulder, giving him a reassuring squeeze. **“Used their magic...they say that my eyes were...like a way to see _him_...to feel his quintessence”** Three looked pained and the shivers had turn full out into bigger shakes.

Before Shiro could do something to help him, One had appeared as if he had been summoned and rubbed the younger’s back before pulling him to his chest, Two coming from behind the bigger clone before flanking Three’s side, growling at the human, as if it was his fault. One snorted and pulled softly at one of the fluffy ears, making the smaller of the three grumble before cuddling and rubbing his cheek to his distressed friend before pulling him away and guiding him to where the other two were.

 **“We care for each other”** One looked at were the younger ones were before looking back at who he was talking **“If one is distressed the rest help them feel better”** Shiro nodded, a bit stiff at that growl before he breathed out, trying to relax himself, lifting his eyes to look at his clone now that he was staring at him. **“It's nice to see you are ok, Champi-”**

“Shiro” he said before One could finish that word, it still gave him goosebumps and a sick feeling on the pit of his stomach to be called that so it was now a good time, not only to get his name remembered but help with the naming, and by the look his altered version gave him, he guessed it was the right choice.

“That's my name...and you guys should probably have one too, not that One or Three is wrong , it’s just, those are numbers”

 **“Is it that important?”** Shiro wanted to slap himself when the thought _‘cute’_ came to his mind when he saw his clone tilt his head to the side, yellow eyes big, mixed with curiosity and confusion.

 _‘Don't be weird, Shiro’_ now was not the time to have confusing thoughts _‘Focus, you idiot’_

“Yes, because it gives you an identity, makes you unique, makes you...well you.” He wasn't sure if it was actually possible to look even more wide eyed than what One was pulling at that moment, but the way he was repeating what Shiro said once more under his breath, made the Black Paladin realize that despite being his clone, he was indeed in the end his own person, and that alone made him want to help him more than ever.

 **“I would like that, a name...and I think the others would too, but…”** _‘Oh no, don't make that sad puppy face’_ **“ I don't know what kind of name I would have, I don't know much of those either”** the altered human rubbed, in what seemed like, embarrassed the scar over his nose, shifting a bit to look at the other younger ones that were discussing about something in loud voices, well, three out of four.

“I could give you one” again, Shiro wanted to slap himself really hard for saying that fast, though the clone side eyed him with curiosity, eyebrow lifted. “If you want too that is, it's just, it doesn't seem right to call you by numbers, you are-”

**“Experiments, failures, sc-”**

“No, you are living beings, capable of making choices, doing what you feel is right, following your heart” at that the human touched his chest, in the place his heart where, looking how the other one touched himself in the same place Shiro indicated and the look of surprise in his face was enough to make the human give the clone a small sweet smile.

“You are free now, the Galra has no control over you, and they will never have it again” the altered cloned blinked once more, his eyes focused again on the others, watching this time how Four and Two had started to compete against each other, it looked more like who could lift both Three and Five at the same time, thought Five was having none of it and was wailing in attempts to get free from the other two, the lankier clone was mostly just holding Four’s clothes as to not fall from his grasp, more so when it ended in Two being thrown into the mix and was being now lifted with the other ones.

Shiro could only laugh at the shenanigans the younger ones were doing, it was not something he would ever see from Hunk or Keith doing, yet this only affirmed more his ideas of how they were their own person and how much he really wanted to make his words real.

 **“I will hold you to those words...Shiro”** the clone stared at those dark gray eyes before looking at both his own hands. **“I do not care about what happens to me, as long as they are safe, I’m fine...I’m...happy”**

“Nothing nor anyone will ever make you or the others prisoners again, I promise you that, Muryō” he was done, his heart was going to explode at the way O- Muryō’s expression turned, it was kind of cute and amusing how the altered version of himself looked so confused yet full of wonder.

**“Muryō?”**

“Your name...it’s not really the best one but you can ha-”

 **“No, I like it. Thank you”** before Shiro could say something else, Five came towards them, moving their hands up and down, calling for him before a grin broke in their face. **“What is it?”**

 **“I received contact from someone! Told them about the Champion and they said they were coming here!”** the information was not to reassuring, they could as well have said it to an enemy ship.

**“Are you certain they are to trust?”**

**“Nope, but they said something about being with Voltron, and Three seemed to agree to that.”** the way the smaller one was almost jumping on the spot made Muryō smile a bit before nodding and hugging by the shoulders the younger one, who was more than satisfied with that kind of praise, turning around to return back towards their fellow companions.

 **“It seems your Voltron is here, Shiro”** At that, the Black Paladin nodded but seemed to be thinking before sighing a moment later, rubbing his scarred nose before bringing himself to smile at his clone who tilted his head to the side. **“What’s wrong? Do you not want to see them?”**

“Is not that, I was just thinking how I was going to get the Princess to accept you five onto the castle” for all he could know , maybe everything was a trap set by the Galra, but...it seemed so unlikely, if it had been done by them, he would of been a prisoner once more.

And he couldn’t help but believe in what had been told to him slightly by the other four members of the little pack. He just couldn’t feel any ill intent on them, despite Two and Four not being too much on board with the idea of getting help from others.

Shiro was trying to come up with a plan as fast as possible, but it seemed that the moment the Blue and Red Lion appeared near them, time was not on his side.

He wondered if this was some kind of punishment for thinking that Muryō was cute or that the actions made by the altered clone made his heart rate go a tad bit faster.

Either way, he was screwed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to Floranna, I decided to change the name of One! From Kuro (Black) to Muryō (Free) yeah, yeah, not to creative but its better than nothing, right?

**Author's Note:**

> I know I tagged all the squad as 'Galra' , but they are more like 'Altered Human/Galra' but they all have the yellow eyes and heightened senses too, so yeah. Also, I really need to do this, but I was inspired by skdaks2 on tumblr, like their drawings made me come with this and like I really need to give them credit for it (I'm a goody two shoes, cant really keep quiet either)
> 
> So yeah...hope you enjoyed it?


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